Bruno Boys Fantasy Football

 
While some would like to attribute the Cincinnati Bengals 4-11-1 season last year to the loss of Carson Palmer for three-quarters of the season, the problems ran deeper than that. In fact, Palmer, who had thrown for over 4,000 yards and 25+ TDs in both 2006 and 2007, was 0-4 in the four games he played in. Not quite an endorsement that the team would have fared better with him under center rather than Ryan Fitzpatrick. Heck, even Peyton Manning may have had a hard time getting the Bengals’ passing game going in 2008. So, what turned the 7th best aerial attack in 2007 into the 3rd worse in 2008?

Two main factors contributed to the passing game’s demise. The first being the play of Chad Ochocinco. Following 6 straight seasons of at least 1,100 yards, Ochocinco amassed just 540 receiving yards in 2008. Looking less explosive than in prior years, the wide out’s biggest accomplishment all of last season actually took place off the field as he was able to legally change his name from “Chad Johnson” to “Chad Ochocinco.”

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Just two years removed from being named NFC Champions, the 2008 Chicago Bears looked forward to leaving a disappointing 7-9 record behind them. At the start of the season, it appeared they were ready to do just that, upsetting the mighty Indianapolis Colts in a super bowl rematch. The addition of rookie Matt Forte’s powerful running style and ability to catch the ball out of the backfield, along with a surprisingly solid performance by quarterback Kyle Orton gave Chicago’s offense a new identity. Paired with what seemed to be the resurgence of one of the league’s best defenses, Chicago fans held hope that 2007 was a fluke and the Bears would be in Tampa Bay come February.

Unfortunately, a good start and a few bright spots wasn’t enough. The Bears finished the year with an uninspired 9-7 record, failing to make the playoffs for a second consecutive season. Inconsistencies on both sides had analysts wondering which Bears team was going to show up each week. The Bears that defeated the Philadelphia Eagles with an impressive goal line stand in week 4 or the team that let the Atlanta Falcons steal a win in week 6, with 11 seconds left in the 4th? The good news for Chicago fans is that despite the up and down 2008 season, there are lots of things to be excited about in 2009.

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The Carolina Panthers rode the NFL’s third-ranked rushing offense to a 12-4 record and NFC South division title in 2008, only to be jettisoned out of the playoffs by the Arizona Cardinals in a 33-13 thumping at home that saw quarterback Jake Delhomme complete 22 of his 34 passes. Normally, that would be a fine performance, but five of those 22 completions were to members of the Cardinals.

Despite falling short in the NFL playoffs, the Panthers were a boon to fantasy owners far and wide throughout the year as DeAngelo Williams finally got the carries he deserved after Coach John Fox, for reasons known only to him, previously had Williams putrefy behind the obviously less-talented DeShaun Foster for two seasons. Williams was certainly not a first-round pick in fantasy drafts in 2008, but after his 20 combined rushing and receiving scores last year, that will change. Fellow running back, Jonathan Stewart, and wideout, Steve Smith, were solid as well, and both should continue to be contributors to winning fantasy football teams again in 2009, provided, of course, that Smith stops punching his teammates in the face.

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The Buffalo Bills finished the season last year 7-9, which happened to be the exact same record they had in 2007. However, after notching a 5-1 start, the 7-9 record posted in 2008 can be seen as nothing other than a disappointment.

This year, it will be tougher for Buffalo to get off to a fast start as star running back Marshawn Lynch is suspended for the first three games of the season. Lynch struggled to break out last season as he compiled 1,036 rushing yards and 8 touchdowns in 15 games, which is a step in the wrong direction seeing as he missed three games in his rookie year but still netted 80 more yards rushing.Fred Jackson did a nice job complementing Lynch a year ago, rushing for 571 yards and 3 touchdowns. In 2009, though, with Lynch set to miss time early, Jackson will be asked to shoulder the load early, along with newly signed veteran running back, Dominic Rhodes.

Quarterback, Trent Edwards, did well in the beginning of the year in 2008, but struggled late with his completion percentage dropping and injuries affecting his game. Edwards ended the season with 2,699 yards, 11 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. 1,725 of those yards came in the first 8 games of the season (including the Arizona game in which he attempted just 3 passes). As the season prolonged Edwards went on to play in only three of the team’s final five games due to injury and never exceeded 200 yards in any of those games.

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Coming off a very disappointing 2007 season in which the Baltimore Ravens finished with a 5-11 record the team fired long time head coach Brian Billick and hired John Harbaugh as head coach, with hopes of returning to the upper echelon of the AFC. This was going to be a tough task for a rookie head coach. The Ravens already had their struggles in the passing game and starting quarterback Steve McNair retired in the off-season leaving a gaping hole at quarterback. To make things worse veteran quarterback Kyle Boller suffered a season ending injury in training camp and second year man Troy Smith came down with a bad virus leaving rookie quarterback Joe Flacco as the team’s opening day starter.

Backed by the solid running of Le’Ron McClain and Willis McGahee who combined for 1,573 yards and 17 touchdowns, veteran wide receiver Derrick Mason who had 80 catches for 1,037 yards with five touchdowns and a top three defense, Flacco held on to the starting job all season and helped lead the Ravens to an 11-5 record, good enough for second place in the AFC North and a wild card playoff birth.  The Ravens went on to win two playoff games losing in the AFC Championship game to the eventual Super Bowl XLIII Champion Pittsburgh Steelers.

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After compiling a putrid 4-12 record during their 2007 campaign the Atlanta Falcons decided it was time to turn things around. To do so, they brought in running back Michael Turner, who they signed away from the San Diego Chargers, and gave a new face to the franchise by selecting quarterback Matt Ryan of Boston College with the #3 overall pick. The moves were definitely a step in the right direction, but no one could have foreseen how quickly this franchise was going to enjoy success.

The Falcons started the season in outstanding fashion, easily defeating the Detroit Lions 34-21 and then never looked back in what would ultimately wind up being an 11-5 record. In fact, as a whole, the Falcons’ division went 40-24 with the worst record going to the 8-8 New Orleans Saints. That goes to show just how impressive of a turnaround 2008 really was. Led by head coach, Mike Smith, you know the Falcons are not satisfied and will be looking to roll into 2009 with abandonment. 

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The Arizona Cardinals had an amazing, and at times strange, 2008 season which saw them clinch an NFC West Division title the first week of December, go on to lose their last three games of the regular season and then put it all together in time to make a run to Super Bowl XLIII. It was the team’s first division title since 1975 and they earned the right to host their first playoff game since 1947, when at the time they were the Chicago Cardinals. Arizona played the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Super Bowl in what was one of most entertaining championship games of all time. The Cardinals scored 16 points in the fourth quarter, the last touchdown coming on a 64-yard pass from Kurt Warner to Larry Fitzgerald with 2:37 left in the game, to take a 23-20 lead. However the Steelers made a comeback of their own, ending with a 6-yard touchdown pass from Ben Roethlisberger to Santonio Holmes with 30 seconds left, a catch which was made in the back right corner of the end zone over three Arizona defenders. This was the difference maker and the Cardinals were denied their first championship in team history.

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